Police summons again rape charges facing Jet Airways co-pilot

Mumbai: A month after being released on
bail in a case of alleged rape, Varun Agarwal a co-pilot with
private air carrier Jet Airways, has been summoned again by
the police for questioning in the same case.

Varun (27) was arrested on May 29 from the suburban
domestic airport here for allegedly raping a 22-year-old
air-hostess on several occasions since May 2009 on the pretext
of marrying her.

A Sessions Court had on June 14 granted the co-pilot
bail on a surety of Rs 25,000 after observing that his custody
was no longer required by the police.

"The police has summoned notice to Varun directing him
to appear before the assistant commissioner of police, Powai
tomorrow after the victim filed another complaint alleging
that Varun has been threatening her to withdraw the case," his
lawyer Laxman Kanal said.

The victim in her complaint has stated that Varun
after released from jail has been threatening her to withdraw
the case or face dire consequences. Pursuant to the complaint,
the police issued summons to Varun directing him to file his
reply to the allegations.

"We will first seek a copy of the complaint and then
file our reply. After that the police would record the
statement of witnesses, if there are any," Kanal said.
Varun has been booked for rape, cheating, causing hurt
and criminal intimidation.

According to the police, the accused, who joined Jet
Airways in 2006, started luring the victim since 2008, a year
after she joined the air carrier.

Varun had proposed marriage to the victim, who
rejected it several times. In 2008, she relented and agreed to
his proposal and moved into his house in May 2009.

However, after a few months, Varun allegedly started
assaulting her and threatened to throw acid on her face if she
left him.